The present invention relates to tamper-proof container and cap assemblies, such as molded plastic vials.
It is desirable in certain instances to provide a container to which access can be gained only by producing visible evidence that the container has been opened. Such a container would be useful in the transportation and storage of liquid specimens for example, to ensure the integrity of the specimen. The integrity of the specimen in the vial is becoming increasingly important in the dairy industry and for drug testing. It is important to ensure the so-called "guaranteed chain of custody" of the container contents.
Various expedients have been heretofore proposed to achieve such a result. One proposal is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,556,575 in which a string seal in the form of an elongated strip possesses conical teeth and an apertured head at one end of the strip. The strip can be inserted into a member to be sealed and then a tail end of the strip is inserted through the apertured head. The strip is pulled through the head until at least one tooth, formed of an elastic material, squeezes through the aperture. That tooth cannot pass back through the aperture without being permanently destroyed and thereby provides visible evidence of tampering. Such an arrangement, however, involves certain shortcomings, including the possibility that a person could break the original strip and then substitute a replacement strip after tampering with the container contents.
Furthermore, it is necessary that a user carry a supply of such strips for use when necessary. If the strips are forgotten or mislaid, a security lapse relating to the contents becomes possible.
Therefore, it is desirable to provide a tamper-proof container/cap assembly which ensures a greater degree of integrity of the container contents and which eliminates the need for a user to carry a supply of string seals.
It is further desirable to provide a tamper-proof container/cap assembly which is relatively inexpensive to manufacture and easy to use.